International investments and investment management services

Explore overseas investment options and global investment strategies with Barclays Wealth

We can help you build your wealth by finding you exactly the right international investment opportunity for you.

Foreign investments could provide you with advantages not available in your home country, for example, tax planning opportunities¹ or a global investment strategy that features a wide range of foreign investment funds.

Use our expert financial management services for foreign investors. These include:

• Dedicated overseas investment professionals
• Active management of your global investment portfolio
• A range of international investment funds, including investment bonds
• International commodity investments
• Currency trading
• International investment advice

International investment

We're confident that our range of international investment funds can deliver precisely the right products to suit your needs. We bring together a wide selection of funds from different managers all in one simple portfolio, Barclays Wealth Multi-Manager.

Barclays Wealth Multi-Manager

Multi-Manager is a 'one stop' investment. It gives you access to a team of dedicated professionals who actively manage your investment, and you'll have access to innovative foreign investment thinking, modelling and research.

Barclays Wealth Multi-Manager² - the key benefits

• Access to some of the world's leading investment managers
• Expert help in selecting and managing the performance of these managers
• A range of portfolios for income, growth or both
• A highly diversified approach for a broad spread of risk
• The opportunity to benefit from institutional investment strategies
• Backed by Barclays Wealth - the UK's number one multi-manager provider and one of the top three in Europe

Please note that Multi-Manager funds should be seen as a medium to long-term investment.

Apply now for Barclays Wealth Multi-Manager:

Download the Barclays International Managed Fund Service brochure*

Overseas investment products

Despite the economic downturn, investment opportunities continue to emerge in markets around the world. Drawing on the local knowledge and expertise of our offices around the world, we can provide sound, impartial advice on overseas investment products whether its bonds, equities or property.

We can also offer expert advice in and the execution of structured notes and foreign exchange spots and forwards².

Structured Notes

Structured Notes are investment products which offer returns linked to the performance of a specified underlying asset, for example:

• Equities
• Interest rates
• Funds
• Commodities (e.g. oil)
• Foreign currency

They may also offer to repay your capital when held for the full term if their value ever falls, and can often be sold on the secondary market before maturity. However you may get back less than you invested.

Foreign exchange spots and forwards

Our foreign exchange services can deal with the majority of your needs. Perhaps you want to change money to support payments or purchases in a foreign currency (e.g. a house overseas), or maybe reduce the risk of adverse price movements of non-sterling investments (e.g. rental income from a holiday home). Then again, you might simply want to buy and sell currencies for profit.

We offer exchange services in most world currencies, including:

• Sterling, US dollars and euros
• Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, Hong Kong dollars, Japanese yen, New Zealand dollars, Singapore dollars and Swiss francs
• Other currencies can be accommodated on request

Please note that trading in FX for investment is high risk and you may lose money.

Apply now for foreign exchange spots and forwards:

Foreign investments and investment management

Barclays Wealth International gives you access to a team of global investment professionals who actively manage your portfolio. You'll get expert advice that is not widely available to private investors.

We'll also help you to adjust your strategy as your needs change. Our aim is simple: to give you the information you need to help you make the right decisions, at the right time.

By looking at your objectives and your attitude to risk, we can plan around the type of investor you are - cautious, balanced or adventurous - and whether you want growth, income, or a mix of both.

'Passive' investment opportunity

Global Beta Portfolios³ from Barclays Wealth are a range of globally diversified portfolios that invest in ETFs (exchange traded funds). These are index-tracking investment funds traded on stock exchanges around the world and which provide a careful balance of risk and return. Rather than depend for their returns on the performance of active fund managers, these 'passive' investments simply track an index for greater transparency.

Other key features:

• Available in five portfolios, each designed to match varying appetites for risk and reward
• Available in US dollars, euros and sterling
• Minimum investment of £25,000 (or currency equivalent)

Please note that funds should be seen as a medium to long-term investment with a minimum of five years. The values of these portfolios can fall as well as rise.

Foreign investment - banking and finance services

Apart from offering a range of international investment services, we can provide you with other essential banking and finance services, including:

• Banking and cards
• Savings
• Mortgages and loans
• Wealth structuring
• International payments
• Protection services